The Meaning of Thunder
by Nalana
Summary: The aftermath of an event can be worse than any physical wound. Drabble. Slight RobRae pairing. WARNING: Character Death


Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans, and am making no money. 'Twas jsut for fun! 

A/N: There was a question posed at "Forbidden Love" about what Robin's last words would be to Raven or vice versa if one were to die. This was only going to be a few paras, but turned into a drabble. So, enjoy!

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The battle had nearly been over before it began. The demonic creature the team of young heros were set against was more powerful then any of them had been prepared for. Yet, combing strength as they always had, they faced the challenge. 

But he had been to fast. He swatted away Starfire's beams, mirroring them onto herself. Cyborg's blasting had no effect on his skin. Beast Boy was flicked away like a tick. Robin struck the creature with his greatest force, but even agility couldn't save him for the creature's skill. Raven found herself preoccupied with seeing that her friends landed safely as they were discarded.

When they had managed to catch the stone and slime monster in it's own trap, they had thought they had finally win. As the creature fell back, his oozing caused the ground to sizzle and melt. His mass made the earth crack and groan. Dying, the creature flailed it's arms out in one last attempt to rid itself of the hole it was sinking into.

A wave of foul heat swiped over the area like a sonic wave. Buildings resonated and began to tumble as they were hit. The teens tried to block themselves from harm's way but were scattered to the four winds. Raven held the force back long enough from them so that they were not crushed, but forced into the ground below.

Black.

The air lay heavily within her chest. The taste of gravel mingled with the coppery seasoning in her parched mouth. Groaning, Raven pushed herself away from the cracked cement that she had laid sprawled against. Her head throbbed silently as she sought to focus on the destruction around her.

The earth had been split. The once grey streets of the city now had been thrust up into various scorched columns. Buildings had been pushed back and up, showing only a flicker of light here and there from detached electric wires. Dawn speckled these splinters with an agonizing golden blood that threatened to blind the injured girl.

Regaining focus she swiveled her head around as a wave a panic flashed over her normally frozen features. Around her she saw the bodies of the people she had learned to call 'friends.' Forcing her cramped muscles to move, she ran over to the two closest bodies.

To her relief, she felt a pulse on the wrist of her orange-skinned friend. A closer survey of the wounds inflicted upon the alien revealed to her that she had simply been knocked unconscious by a flat boulder that lay under her head. A glance at across from where she knelt was rewarded by the body, Cyborg, opening his 'eye' with a meager moan. She could only assume the whimpering behind her was Beast Boy who she had last seen as a wolf.

One, two, three. She counted with a groggy mind, slowly realizing there was one she could not see. Robin! Her mind shot at her.

Raven spun around looking for any trace of her masked companion. Her hazy eyes scanned the area only to find nothing. Silently pleading she glanced back at Cyborg.

Hearing this request, the mechanical teen summoned what power he had to preform an area scan, thanking silently that it was still functioning. After a few moments, he spotted a faint bleep. Weakly, he pointed one hand in the direction, finding himself incapable of speaking.

Dashing towards where she had been prompted, she became lured to a pile of rubble she could barely make out. Running wasn't fast enough! Gritting her teeth she leapt up into the blazing sky; an action that used to be effortless now draining her.

As she approached the crumbled material, she saw a flash of fabric green on one side with yellow opposing fabric. Pupils shrinking, she landed ungracefully on one knee. Summoning the power within her to lift away the debris depleted whatever might she had remaining. When the form of her team's leader was revealed, it was all she could do to crawl near him.

When the figure moaned in a volume no stronger than a whisper, Raven became astonished. Forcing herself closer she gathered the body and bruised limbs into her lap. As gently as she could, she brushed away the dirt that had caked into the cuts left by the junk.

"Robin?" She heard her voice speak, but could not register it with her mind. Had it been trembling?

Still covered-eyes opened up to a slit and turned towards the voice that had called it back to life. Robin's mouth gaped open, trying to form words, but a half-gloved hand concealed them. Closing his eyes further, he nestled his head into the leg it rested on.

"Hold on. I can get help." She found words as her hand ran through the mesh of hair and dried blood below her free hand; she tried to sooth him. But as she tried to move, a hand caught her wrist.

"Don't." Robin croaked pitifully, his cheekbones lifting in result of the flinch that followed. "Sta-." He added, his voice failing before the last letter of his request.

Sinking back down fully, Raven pulled the body closer to herself. The hand that had petted him moved down to his cheek, cupping his face. Robin seemed to sigh at the touch, his eyes slipping shut.

"NO." She commanded, causing those eyes to snap back. "Fight this, Robin. You can do this. Don't leave us now. They need you. "

"Th-they h-have each...other, have...you." He swallowed with great effort.

Raven shook her head, battling the tears that welded up within her. She would not allow them to leak out. He hadn't seen her fall into a pit of the emotion that would surely reveal itself if she were to cry, and she wasn't about to burden his thoughts with it now. Still...

"Stay for me." Her voice had been cold and loud, an order. That only made his smile grow wider. His hand released her wrist and reached up to her face before slipping down to her shoulder limply.

The shadowed titan froze. She wanted to speak, to scream at him, but the words wouldn't make it past the knot that had enclosed her throat. Shaking she lowered her head down onto the still warm chest below. She clung to the shell, finally letting a few salty trails trickle into the fabric near her eyes.

As Raven's tears turned into a gentle sobbing, she tried to muffle the sound. Her heart, that she tried so desperately to encase in ice, sank down into the pits of her soul as she felt a heavy hand lay down onto her back. She didn't look to see who it was. She didn't care.

The sun rising higher into the morning scape, the buildings shifted color into a soft candle-glow. Above the heavens cracked and a drizzling of rain cascaded down onto the teenage heros, matching one's tears. A small flash blinked in the distance, echoing the stab of grief that floated over the remaining titans. But the clash and crack that rumbled and rolled belonged only to the agony of the cloaked girl.


End file.
